Glass tube bending apparatus



Feb. 20, 1951 A. GRElNi-:R ET AL 2,542,325

GLASS TUBE BENDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-snau 1 Fig. 2 5

Invencbofs: ALFT-ed Greiner, Augusft' W. Se'FbZ,

Then- Ati7o1-ne5- Feb. 20, 1951 A, GRElNE-R ETAL 2,542,325

GLASS 'TU BE rBENDING APPRTUS Filed Feb. 24, 1947 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenclfovs:

ALfFfed Greiher,

AuiusCt W. Seictz,

TheiwV AvbflrorU meg.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 GLASS TUBE BENDING APPARATU S Alfred Greiner, Cleveland Heights, and August W.

Seitz, Euc'lid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 730,222

7 Claims. (Cl. 49-7) Our invention relates to apparatus for hending tube or rod and more particularly relates to apparatus for automatically hending vitreous tube in a manner p-roducing adjacent alternate bends therein. I

One object of our invention is to provide apparatus for producing adjacent forward and reverse bends in a length of vitreous tube or rod in a single operation. According to our invention means are provided for heating a selected portion of the vitreous tube or rod and for displacing the opposite ends thereof both laterally and toward each other to bend the heated portion thereof to the particular form required.

Another object of our invention is to provide apparatus for offsetting the end of a vitreous exhaust tube extending from one end of a lamp in a ready and satisfactory manner whereby said apparatus can be used with semi-skilled labor in commercial manufacturing procedures. Our apparatus provides means for holding the Vitreous exhaust tube and lamp during the heating step in the Operation and means for moving said exhaust tube and said lamp with proper relation to each other to effect the desired hend and offset in said tube.

` Another object of our inv-ention is to provide vitreous tube hending apparatus of a construction suitable for use in combination with the tubular lamp hending apparatus disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 574,724, filed January 26, 1945, now Patent No. 2,494,872, and 'assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Our present invention provides a means for bending the vitreous exhaust tube of the lamp out ofl 'alignment with the end of said lamp so that the opposite end of said lamp can then he bent into 'close relation thereto. Cc-mhining both hending apparatuses eliminates a duplication of holding means and certain manual operations, thereby reducing the time taken for said operations and the cost and energy required therefore.

Still further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawing. v In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of tube hending apparatus of our invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations of said apparatus taken jfrom the sections therethrough along lines 2.-2

and 3-3 respectively with alternate positions of the holders and associated means in dot-dot-dash lines; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lamp holder of said apparatus; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the means of raising and lowering the,

' 2 lamp holder; Fig. 6 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 2 of modified tube hending apparatus;` Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the means for supporting and actuating the tube holder of the modified apparatus; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the lamp holder of the modified apparatus and the means of Opening and closing said lamp holder.

The first steps in the cycle of Operation associated with the apparatus d'sclosed 'in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, consists in the manual insertion of the tubular lamp I into said apparatus by inserting the metal cap 2 at one end of said lamp I into the holder 3 and thereafter moving the lamp I` and' holder 3 upward to insert the exhaust tube 4 extending from said end into the movable' holder 5 to the position shown. At the time ofl insertion, the holder V(I is located in the lowered' position shown in dot-dot-dash lines in Fig. 3, and the bar 6 closing off the open mouth of the* opening therein is swung to one side as shown in Fig. 4 so that the exhaust tube 4 is given4 clearance under the movable holder 5 and access is given to the open mouth of the holder 3. The lamp I is manipulated so that lthe annular groove 'I in the metal cap 2, which is permanently sealed to the end thereof, is 4aligned with the beveled inner edge 3' of the U-shaped opening 4' in` the holder 3 and so that' said metal cap 2 finally engages the beveled edge of the curved end of said opening. The har 6' which is swung hack across the Opening and which is fixed in place by Ibringing the leg 8 thereof over and inserting itV in the hole 9 in the'holder 3 prevents movement of the metal disc 2 in the holder 3. `When completely inserted, the lamp I- which has considerable length hangs from the holder 3 andiis kept' from lateral and Vertical movement through itsengagement therewith.

The holder 3 is mounted on the lower end of a rod I 0 extending from'the slide II which slide II is located within ways in the bracket IZ extending from the frame I3 of the apparatus'and' which is conflned in said ways by the plates IllV and I5. The lower position of the holder 3 -is determined by the presence of a sleeve `IG (Figs.

2, 3 and 5) on the studll extending from the slide II, within the enlarged lower end. of a' double keyhole slot IB in the hracket I 2.

' The lamp I and holder 3 are moved upwardto carry the end of the exhaust tube 4 into the movg-j able holder 5 by manual manipulation of the handv lever I9. which lever I9 is connected by a slot I 9f therein to the sleeve IE and is pivotally mounted onfla horizontal arm 29 which is pivotally mounted,

on a vertical pin 2I in yole 22 extending from brac'ket I2. To move the holder 3 and slide I I upward, the hand lever I 9 is first pushed back against the resistance of the spring 23, which is located on the stud I'I between the flanged sleeve IG and the washer 24, until said sleeve IB is unlocked a-nd withdrawn from the enlarged lower end IB' of slotf iakandrthen isflraised to rliftfthc sleeve IB, Stud I'I'and* the slide I I'. the stud' Il being carried through the narrow intermediate portion of slot I8.

in place.

'TheW above describedvmechanism provides af positive means of alignlnganddireotingtheexw `gl and;:28,ofl the movable holderf ewhich'has the dual'a functions -of :'gripping said exhaust tube 4 'and of making a gas tight connection thereto. 'Only the" first-.mentioned 'function has vaf direct bearingronthe iexhaust: tube bendingoperations off; our amiaratuszV` although both functions are brought! about by: the next operation': sten of clamping: of' the.V rubben gland 28 about the ex;v ha-ustktubefl lthrough' manual'fiupward movement offthe-.fhand lever 29 to the position shown. The. rnbberfgland 28`v is located in an I Opening.` in: the body'portionf30 of `the =holder which,- in` turn; is mounted fon the tfend 'of the' hollow 'spindle 3 I and has: av passage ther'ein-.LnormallyV allowing?` free n'i'ovenfientffofj the-exhaust tube-1 4- therein. The upward Vmovement-of: :the `:hand lever 29 -Whi'ch lis pivoted1on=pins132 f (only onefof which' appears in E'lg;h 2%; and which: iii-combinationv -with=- links 33- form aitogglefjointiconnected to-cap-26 nroduces a r-.corresponding i movement' in the i cap :26 which' compressesthefrubber gland 281causingit toigrip theeexhanst tube 4- f and -seal vSaidtube- 4 to'the bodyfportion'du of f the I holder 5. The pivot pins 32 'and adjacentf-nortionvof-f the hand-lever 29 'lief in arr-Opening 33 withinhthe fixed collar 34v on 'thei'body'iportion :MI-which Opening .'restricts the movement'of said'- handr lever V29--1and 4allowsonly Su'fficientl'upward movementfof said hand 'lever'29' tfchfpern'iitiithe` pinsi` 35 ljoining saidlever 29 and* i the-rlinksa33 to passzcenter-'so thatrtherubber glandliZB'r iszkept under?compression;r There-1 mainder" of'theimounting means: for 'the'fholden 5:

cdmprfs'esthe`slide36`*whichengagestherspindle' 3l; the slide carriage 31 which' provides; innom; bination with 1plates`iv38 and: 39, waysiand* means for-'holding the slide'andthe bracket-A which: rests fon` a" portion: of the' frame"` I3? and which provides. in combination lwith platesi4l and` 42; `Ways'and meansifor' holding slide carriage: '312 The course'of Operation 'of the' apparatus. next.` provides forth'e heati'nglofi'an intermedie'tepor--` tion of' the exhaust tube '4 by the burners' 43 andi 44 whichare 'moved'l'down' intooperative .relationt thereto, as' shown,- by'y the manualrrotation of fthef crankff 45il (Fig. 1,1) Theburnersr 43 and*r 44f'are mountedfiona circutousimanifold 46; attached to? 'tl'feearms 4'I-'-4TSandIare'broughtffromta positiom at' whichthe arms 3414-41 rest on the stoprscrewsfl.

lei-Was shown -inl Id'otdot--da'shilines :inn Fig. 3); to:

a;- position: wheresaidl arme i 4'L rest-lonthe, stop.:

At the upper limit of thev movement, the sleeve IB is againforcednby` theV expansion force of the spring 23 into the enlarged upper end 25 of slot I8 which-locksthefislde :Irl`v 4 screws 49. Each arm 41 is fastened to the shaft 50 adjacent one of the bearing blocks 5I-5I carried by the frame member 52 and is swung between positions through rotation of said shaft 50 by manual manipulation of the crank 45 which is attached to one end thereof.

The period of treatment of the exhaust tube 4 by the burners' 43 and: 44 is dependent on the visual observations of the operatorfr'of the apparatus and is terminated when the color of the heated portion of the exhaust tube 4 indicates it. is inproperplastic condition to be bent. At such times, the' operator again swings the crank 45 backtitoitsfformer:position thereby removing the burn'ersi-43 .and..44from operative relation from thelexhaustztubeII` and immediately turns the knob..53..so asitoldisplace the movable holder 5 in a" lowering and' lateral movement whereby said exhausttube 4 is bent to the position shown in dot-dot-dash lines in Fig. 2.

The .translational rdisplacement .of themovable holderu. is-suchthatfadjacent alternate bends are made-inthe exhauststube 4 and such 4.that the4 .oppostie ends -thereof retain .their given .relation although they are displacediftoward `and laterallyof each other. Inthe presentiinstance, the end portions of7 the exhaust tubelil arealigned and :ata given parallel relation at the start of the bendingi and are offsetand still at their given parallel relation after.. the hending Operation., is completed.. Thebending movementoJF the movable holder` 5 is .fproducedbymotion of the-slide means comprised of both. slidefi and. slide cart-- riage 31 in their respectiVeWaysandi-s brought about/by lthe..rotation: of vthe cam vitfvvhich` is' conneoteduto. thev `lmolo 53 through. shaftS uni.-. Versal :joint uand shaftll. Shafts 55 and 51 aresupported byr the befaringv blocks andi respectivelyfr which are mounted onethe bracket 4G;and^frame IS-respectively. Rota-tion of cam 547 l'turns it from. a position .where the extreme thickness -or high -pointithereof is below and Supporting.thefslidecarriage 31 to av point 7where aflminimumlthickness-or low point of 'said cam 54is-belo\v the 'slide carriage'31 -thereby allowfing the entire Weight of the holder 5'fand' other parts'of the' apparatus mounted.` on said'slfide carriage '37 to effect thehending. The lateral mot'onzof the7 holder 5 occurs at thesame time asv the: downward motion since 'the .link 3%! :Which is.. connected to' bracket. 45 by lpin 6I-- and the slide 35' by pinV (52 drawssaid slide: 3--neare1'. thefbracket- 45 as said'slide 36 is lowered. Thel limitsfofrotation of theearn54 and, accordngly, the. extentv of the movement of the i holder 5 -isf determined by the? .engag'ement i of` the:v stud 83 with portions of the. platee I -i ati-'the positions of.

the: cam 54wsho-wn `infull and dotiedotedash lines-f. in. Fig-:2.

Following .thes hending .of z the. exhausttube 14 necessary to the manufactnreiof the'fllampflare ca'rried'"` out. The present apparatus siV well adaptcd :tot he` Combined with.l other: apparatus' for: hending: the lamp i i to: some eonfiguratiorii and 'Iinzparticular to be'coinbined with the' Ioe'ndj-V ing apparatus: in our copending 'application Serial! No; -574gf724yfile`dl January' 26; 1945; now'E'ate'iitl present inventiori. V which apparatusfl: Vhends said? lamp I-ztou almost; atrcomplete fi'circle. The-ifbendr aosasze in the exhaust tube 4 offsets said tube 4 so that it does. not interfere with the bending of the opposite end (not shown) of the lamp to a close relation to the end thereof held by holder 3. Further, the holder 3 provides the means of gripping and Supporting one end of the lamp I, and the `movable holder 5 provides the means of introducing a pressure of gas into said lamp I during the lamp hending operation. The gas is introduced into the open end of the exhaust tube 4 .through the connection made to a source thereof (not shown) by the passages in the body 3% of the holder 5, spindle 31 and flexible hose 54.

The completed lamp I, is removed from our apparatus in the same manner in every instance, the first step being the lowerng of the hand lever 29 to unclamp the exhaust tube 4 from the movable holder 5; the second, being the lowering Vof the hand lever I 9 to separate said exhaust movable holder 5 with the holder 3 to place all parts of the apparatus in position for a succeeding cycle of Operation.

v:The modification of our apparatus appearing indFigs. 6, '7 and 8 difiers from the above-described apparatus in that the lamp I is gripped and supported by a holder 65 having similarly Shaped halves 66 and 67, the former fastened to' the post 68 extending from the slide i I and the latter fastened to a rod 69 extending through said7 post 68 to the hand lever 10. The lamp l ls inserted in the holder '55 by first moving the hand lever 'Ill so that movable half G'i of the holder 65 is swung outward giving access to the center thereof and then placing the cap 2 in proper engagement with the stationary half 55. The subsequent release of the hand lever 10 allows the contraction force of the spring 'II which extends between said hand lever 70 and a post 12 extending from the bottom of the slide II to close the movable half 67 of the holder 65 on the cap 2 of the lamp I causing it to be held securely inplace. A guide pin 13 extending from the end of J the half 61 of the holder 65 and entering ntoa hole in the half 65 of said holder 65 aligns said halves 66 and 61.

Succeeding operations in the use of the modification of our apparatus include the raising of the hand lever IQ to effect a corresponding movement of the slide H and holder 55 and cause the insertion of the end of the exhaust tube 4 into the movable holder 5. The hand lever Za is then raised to the position shown in Fig. 6 to cause the holder 5 to grip and make a gas tight connection to the exhaust tube 4 in the same manner as previously described. In the present instanoe the support for the holder 5 is differently constructed and comprises a somewhat shorter hollow spindle 14 in engagement with the body 30 of the holder 5 and a slidefi block 15 for` supporting the hollow spindle 14 and, through a passage (not shown) therein, making a suitable connection between said hollow spindle 14 and the pipe nipple 'IB and flexible hose 54. Corresponding plates 'I'l and 18 (Fig. 7) extending from the bracket 19 on the frame I 3 at opposite sides of the slide block-15 confine said slide block 15 to slide ways in a plane through the holders 5 and 65 whereas corresponding keys 80-80 attached to said slide block 15 and entering into diagonal slots 8! in the plates 71 and 18 further restrict 6 said slide block 15 to a definite path of :movement both toward and laterally of the holder 65' in said plane.. A separator plate 82 attached` to the free ends of the plates 11 and 18 completes and strengthens the assembly.

As in the previous instance, that portion of;

the exhaust tube 4 which is to be bent is heated to a plastic condition by the fires from opposed. burners (only burner 44 being shown in the present instance) which are move-bly mountedthrough the manifold 46, arm 41 and shaft 50.l When the heating operation is complete the burners are swung up out of Vthe way, as before, and an adjustment to the hand lever 83 is made whichcauses themovable holder 5 to travel toward and.

laterally of the holder 65 along a path determined by the cam slots 8I and making an acute angle with. the line of alignment` between the holders 5 and 65'thereby bending the exhaust tube 4 as desired. The hand lever 83 is mounted on` one end of a shaft 84 carried by the plates TE and 18 and, when adjusted, swings the arnr 85 which is attached to said shaft 84 and which'- mit the exhaust tube 4 to cool and become hardt whereupon thesucoeeding step in the manufac'- turing cycle takes place. This may consist eitherj of the removal of the lamp I from the apparatusf or the operations of bending the lamp I to some other form and then removing it. The lamp hending Operation can be performed without removal -of the lamp I from the modification of our apparatus shown .in Figs. 6, '7 and 8 since said apparatus can function in combination with our lamo hending apparatus disclosed in patent application Serial No. 574,724, now Patent No. 2,4%,872, hereinbefore referred to in the same manner as our previously described apparatus. The lainp. I is removed from the modified apparatus by releasing the exhaust tube 4 from the movable holder 5 by manually lowering hand lever 29 and then by releasing the metalcap 2` from holder 65 by manually adjusting hand lever lil. The holders 5 and 65 must be moved to higher and lower positions respectively by man-1 ual adjustment of hand levers 83 and IB respectively before the succeeding cycle of operations of the apparatus can be started. k

Other more limited, modifications of the apparatus still withinthe scope of our invention will be readily `apparent to those skilled in the. art. I

What .we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for hending a vitreous tube comprising means for heating an intermediate portion of the tube to a plastic condition, support means adjacent the heating means for causing one end of the tube to be retained at a fixed position, a holder similarly located adjacent the heating means engaging the opposite end of the tube for retaining and holding said end of the tube in a given relation to the support means, a slide for Supporting the holder, ways defining a path of movement for the slide laterally of the support means, means engaging the slide and ansees:

7.* tnecwaysfforsmovingisaid slide Linisa'id ways and thersaidfways `toward 'the supportmeansito .prold'uceladjacent-alternate ben'dslin the plasticportionLof'rthevitreous tube..`

2. Apparatus for Vio'endinga:vitreous. tube. comprising means ror heating an intermediate porton'of the tube to a plastic condition, support means. aoyacent the heating. means for causmg oneendiof the tube to' `'be retained ata iixed rpositionpal holder. similarly located adiacent the he'atingJmeans engaglng. the opposite. end of the tube for -retainingv and holding said: end of. the tube in agiven relation to the. support means, a slide'for' supportingthe ho1der;.ways denninga pathoffmovement for the slidelaterally of. the support. means, ar link' located withintne plane of.. the pathdenedby. 'thefways i and;- joimng.. a pvot.v one-the' slide and astationarys pivot. oifsetlaterally th'erefrom, and means for movingvthe ways. toward thesupport means both todisplace the slide .and holder. correspondinglyvandhthrough. the..consequent--sideward pull of the `link to displace said slide' and. said holderalateral-ly` toproduce adjacent alternate bends in the plastic portion of the .vitreous'tube 3.. Apparatusfor. bending a vitreous tube vcomprising means vfor heating an intermediate portion.of the tube-to a.p.astic condition,-. support means adjacent the 'heating-meansV for causing one. end. of the tubeto-be retaineda-t a fixedposion, a holder. similarly. located -adjacent the heating meansengaging the opposite end of.. the tubezfor. retainingand holding said endof the tubeina givenelation to thesupport means, a slidefon 'mipportingV the holder, a. secondslide having Waysdefining a pathof movementof-the first-mentioned. slide laterally of thesaid. support means, .ways for the second slide definingca single pathof movement in the plane of the holder and said support means,I and means for moving'- both slides in their respective Waysto displace the holder toward and laterally of the said support means to produce adjacent 'alternate bends in the plastic portionof the vitreous tube.

, 4.' Apparatus for bending a verticallyv disposed vitreous tube comprising means for heating an intermediate portion of the tube to a'plastic condition, support means adjacent the' heating means for retaining the lower end'of" the ver-v tically disposed tube at a fixed position, a holder similarly located adjacent the heating means engaging the upper end of the tube for'retaining and holding said end in a given relation-to the said support means, a vertically disposedslide for' Supporting the holder, ways defining' a Verticalpath offmoveme'nt 'for the slide, means-for' Supporting the slide -at one position ir'ithe'waysv e during'the heatingof' the' tube and' there'after Withd'l'awin'gl said support'to allow' theforce of gravity to 'displace' thev slide' downward and'` dis'- place the holder horizontally to produce adjalce'rit?` alternatelbends ini the' plastic' portion of thel meansf. adjacent. the: heating means.- forf* causingi:

one endi of.v the tube lto beretainedat a'ifi'xew position, a holder. similarly located adjacentthe heating meansfengaging the opposite end..oflthe tube! for retaining and holding said end. ofi thel tube in a given relation to the said support means;

a..slide for Supporting the holder, ways d'efining'..

a. path.. of movement of the slide in at plane through the holder and. the said support means,

and means engaging the slide' for displacing. 'sal-d'- slde in the ways both. toward and lateral1y'ofthe said support means toproduce adjacent 'alternateV bends in. theplastic portion of .the vitreous. tube;

6. Apparatus' for. hending' a'vitreou's tubexc'omprising-.means for heating an intermediatev por-'s ytionflof. the tube toaJ plastic condition-support means adjacent the. heating means for-causing one-end ofthe tubeto be retained'.ataifixedpoe sition, a holder similarly located adja'centithef heating means .engaging the oppositeendiof'thef tube. for retainingandeholding said end ofthe':

tube ina givenrelation to. the said supporty means, a. slide for Supporting the holder, ways.` defining '9, path of. movementV of.` the slider infta. single plane through the holder. and the said? support means,' means engagng the. slide-forfurther defining the path of movement ofl'sa'id slide in said p-ane in a direction displacin'g'the holder both laterally and toward the said'sulgw port means, and means' for moving the slide. in`l the defined direction in the ways to produce ad-'fljacent alternate bends in the plastic'portion-of.i the vitreous tube.

` 7.-App`aratus for lbendingfa vitreous tubefliexi-'e tending from an end of 'the envelope ofl a -lamp' comprising'a-lmovable holder-engaging the ene` velope of the lamp, a secondmovable. hold spaced from the first-mentioned holder and no mally disposed in axial alignment therewith an'd" adapted to retain and hold an end portion of the' vitreous tube;- means for' moving theV first-men-` tioned holder4 axially toward the said second: holder'to reposition the lamp and direct the end' portion of the vitreous tube into properV engage-= acute angle with the normal line of alignment betweensaid holders, and means engaging the slide means rfor displacing said Vslide means in the ways to produce adjacent alternate bends'in the'plasti'c portionof the vitreous tube.

ALFRED GREINEE. 7AUGUST W; SEITZ REFER'ENCES orrnn The following references' are of record in'th'e' k file' of this'patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number" Name' Date' 2,265,'0'7l`0 G'oode Dec. 2', 19415 2,439g902 Noel Apr.` 20, 1948 i 

